#US Marines Training

[texasaggie-seaknight]

Devils must work as a team, smell the dirt and sacrifice your individual pride…

[cid5]

WWII / US Marines Train with M1918 BAR Rifle USMC US 149

[sgtgrunt0331-3]

Capt. Stephan Bristow, a company commander with 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, conducts a tactical movement during a Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation (MCCRE) on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, May 21, 2023.

(Photo by Lance Cpl. Joshua Kumakaw)

[military1st]

A U.S. Marine during live-fire squad attacks training at Marine Corps Base Hawaii.

The U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Aidan Hekker (2024).

[carbone14]

Marines à l'entraînement au débarquement en vue de la bataille de Peleliu – Guerre du Pacifique – Ile Pavuvu – Iles Russell – Iles Salomon – Juillet 1944

[sexuallyactivepopes]

long island is a fucking terrifying place

[awful-rat]

in the job straight up "hateing it" and by "it" heh well lets just say. my job

[orcinus-veterinarius]

What are your thoughts on the US Navy’s marine mammal program?

I’m not going to delve into a discussion of the US military (which I’m sure isn’t what you’re looking for anyway) since that’s not the theme of this blog, but as far as the animals themselves—

Their care is pretty excellent. The program itself was founded by the late great Dr. Sam Ridgway, who passed away in 2022. Dr. Ridgway was known as “the Father of Marine Mammal Medicine” (and is the namesake of baby Ridgway the rescue dolphin calf at SeaWorld Orlando), and essentially everything we know about cetacean healthcare can be traced back to his work.

(Dr. Ridgway auscultating a dolphin in the 1960s. Courtesy of the LA Times).

The Navy dolphins (and sea lions) are considered active members of the military and have access to the same medical facilities as human service members (i.e. if a Navy dolphin needs an MRI, he goes to the local VA hospital). They have their own team of trainers and veterinarians who travel with them if deployed.

Contrary to what was believed before the program was declassified, the Navy dolphins are not out there launching tactical assaults on enemy vessels. Their main responsibilities are detecting and disabling underwater mines (designed to be triggered by watercraft, so something the size of a dolphin will not set it off) and alerting to the presence of enemy divers. They are rarely in direct danger the way a military working dog is.

One of my favorite facts about Navy dolphins ties in with my last post about animals and “freedom”—while housed in sea pens, military dolphins are frequently worked in the open ocean. There is absolutely nothing keeping them from swimming off during an operation or training exercise and never returning (and keep in mind—while all the current dolphins are captive born, the original set were captured from the wild and knew how to survive without human help)! And yet, they without fail return to their human caregivers. The program would not have lasted as long as it has without the dolphins’ willing participation.

(Courtesy of MIT)

[texasaggie-seaknight]

[ghostwarriorrrr]

Recon Marines Military Free-Fall Jump Training

[sgtgrunt0331-3]

A U.S. Marine with Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division, takes position to provide suppresive fire on Range 400 during Integrated Training Exercise (ITX) 4-21 at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California on July 25, 2021.

(Photo by Sgt. JVonnta Taylor)

[military1st]

Our idea of a beach holiday involves a little more camouflage and a lot less sunscreen.

U.S. Marines hold security for approaching Amphibious Combat Vehicles during an amphibious raid mission walk-through at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California.

The U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Peyton Kahle (2023).

[onyxhellebore]

My mom is finally being nice about binary trans people which is cool. Except she is now infuriated by the concept of nonbinary people and genderfluid people. It just kind of. Shifted. To the thing I am. And I should probably process that but instead I've been blogging woot

[carbone14]

Accident d'appontage sur le porte-avions d'entraînement USS Sable (IX-81) – Lac Michigan – Etats-Unis – 1944

©United States Navy